The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 198
the pretty, fond, adopted names
that men give, inspired by love. Now he shall–
I don't know what he shall. May God look after him!
The court's a place where one learns, and he is one–
PAROLLES
What one, i' faith?
For heaven's sake, who are you talking about?
HELENA
That I wish well. 'Tis pity—
The one that I wish well. It's a shame-
PAROLLES
What's pity?
What's a shame?
HELENA
That wishing well had not a body in't,
Which might be felt; that we, the poorer born,
Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes,
Might with effects of them follow our friends,
And show what we alone must think, which never
Return us thanks.
That good wishes don't have a physical body,
so that we who are born poor, whose lowly position
means wishes are all we have,
might use them to follow our friends,
and show them things we are only allowed to think,
which never do us any good.
Enter Page
Page
Monsieur Parolles, my lord calls for you.
Monsieur Parolles,my lord wants you.
Exit
PAROLLES
Little Helen, farewell; if I can remember thee, I
will think of thee at court.
Farewell little Helen; if I remember you, I
will think of you when I'm at the court.
HELENA
Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star.
Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a star sign which makes you kind.
PAROLLES
Under Mars, I.
I was born under Mars.
HELENA
I especially think, under Mars.
Definitely under Mars, I think.
PAROLLES
Why under Mars?
Why under Mars?
HELENA
The wars have so kept you under that you must needs
be born under Mars.
You can have been so much in the wars that you must
have been born under Mars.
PAROLLES
When he was predominant.
When he was in the ascendant.
HELENA
When he was retrograde, I think, rather.
I think when he was descending, actually.
PAROLLES
Why think you so?
Why do you think that?
HELENA
You go so much backward when you fight.
You are always going backwards when you fight.
PAROLLES
That's for advantage.
That's to get an advantage.
HELENA
So is running away, when fear proposes the safety;
but the composition that your valour and fear makes
in you is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear well.
So is running away, when you're inspired by fear;
but the mixture of your bravery and fear
makes a good outfit, and I like the look of it.
PAROLLES
I am so full of businesses, I cannot answer thee
acutely. I will return perfect courtier; in the
which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize
thee, so thou wilt be capable of a courtier's
counsel and understand what advice shall thrust upon
thee; else thou diest in thine unthankfulness, and
thine ignorance makes thee away: farewell. When
thou hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast
none, remember thy friends; get thee a good husband,
and use him as he uses thee; so, farewell.
I'm too busy to answer you properly.
I will come back the perfect courtier; and when I do
I will teach you all the ways of the court
so you will be ready for a courtier's
advice and be able to understand it;
otherwise you'll die lonely,
kept alone by your ignorance: goodbye.
When you have the time, say your prayers;
don't bother remembering your friends;
get yourself a husband and
treat him the same as he treats you.
Exit
HELENA
Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie,
Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky
Gives us free scope, only doth backward pull
Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull.
What power is it which mounts my love so high,
That makes me see, and cannot feed mine eye?
The mightiest space in fortune nature brings
To join like likes and kiss like native things.
Impossible be strange attempts to those
That weigh their pains in sense and do suppose
What hath been cannot be: who ever strove
So show her merit, that did miss her love?
The king's disease--my project may deceive me,
But my intents are fix'd and will not leave me.
We have the power to take fate into our own hands,
which we usually say is controlled by the stars; the fateful sky
gives us free rein, it only pulls back
our clumsy plans when we are clumsy ourselves.
What is the power that gives me so much love,
that lets me look when I cannot touch?
Fate leaves a space for nature to come in,
to join those who are similar and let them naturally kiss.
Strange plans look impossible to those
who weigh things in the balance sensibly and think
that nothing can be changed: who was there who ever
showed such merit, missing her love?
The king's disease-I may be deceiving myself with this plan,
but my mind is made up, I'm going ahead.
Exit
Flourish of cornets. Enter the KING of France, with letters, and divers Attendants
KING
The Florentines and Senoys are by the ears;
Have fought with equal fortune and continue
A braving war.
The Florentines and the Siennese are still at loggerheads;
they have had equal success and are continuing
a fierce war.
First Lord
So 'tis reported, sir.
So they say, sir.
KING
Nay, 'tis most credible; we here received it
A certainty, vouch'd from our cousin Austria,
With caution that the Florentine will move us
For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend
Prejudicates the business and would seem
To have us make denial.
No, you can believe it; I've been told
it's definite by my cousin the King of Austria,
who warns that the Florentines will be coming to us
looking for help; and our dear friend
has weighed up the matter and seems
to want us to refuse.
First Lord
His love and wisdom,
Approved so to your majesty, may plead
For amplest credence.
His love and wisdom,
which your Majesty so values, means
we should give his views the greatest respect.
KING
He hath arm'd our answer,
And Florence is denied before he comes:
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see
The Tuscan service, freely have they leave
To stand on either part.
He has prepared our answer for us,
and Florence is refused before she asks.
But for any o
f our gentlemen who want
to fight in Tuscany, they have my permission
to fight for either side.
Second Lord
It well may serve
A nursery to our gentry, who are sick
For breathing and exploit.
It may well be
a good training ground for our gentry, who are itching
for exercise and adventure.
KING
What's he comes here?
Who's this coming?
Enter BERTRAM, LAFEU, and PAROLLES
First Lord
It is the Count Rousillon, my good lord,
Young Bertram.
It is Count Rousillon, my good lord,
young Bertram.
KING
Youth, thou bear'st thy father's face;
Frank nature, rather curious than in haste,
Hath well composed thee. Thy father's moral parts
Mayst thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris.
Young man, you look like your father;
nature has clearly worked carefully, not swiftly,
and made you well. May you also have inherited
your father's moral character! Welcome to Paris.
BERTRAM
My thanks and duty are your majesty's.
I give you my thanks, and I am at your Majesty's service.
KING
I would I had that corporal soundness now,
As when thy father and myself in friendship
First tried our soldiership! He did look far
Into the service of the time and was
Discipled of the bravest: he lasted long;
But on us both did haggish age steal on
And wore us out of act. It much repairs me
To talk of your good father. In his youth
He had the wit which I can well observe
To-day in our young lords; but they may jest
Till their own scorn return to them unnoted
Ere they can hide their levity in honour;
So like a courtier, contempt nor bitterness
Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were,
His equal had awaked them, and his honour,
Clock to itself, knew the true minute when
Exception bid him speak, and at this time
His tongue obey'd his hand: who were below him
He used as creatures of another place
And bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks,
Making them proud of his humility,
In their poor praise he humbled. Such a man
Might be a copy to these younger times;
Which, follow'd well, would demonstrate them now
But goers backward.
I wish that I was as healthy now
as I was when your father and I in friendship
First became soldiers! He spent
a long time in service and had
the bravest followers: he lasted for a long time;
but that old witch, age, crept up on us
and curtailed our actions. It cheers me up
to talk about your good father. In his youth
he was as witty as the young lords
whom I see today; but they can joke
until they're blue in the face
before they can match their wit with honour;
he was so courteous, there was no contempt or bitterness
in his pride or his wit; if there was
it was only ever to his equals, and his honour,
which governed him, knew the right time
to speak when he was offended, and at this time
his tongue would follow his hand: those below him
he treated as if they had a different position
and bowed his noble head to their lower ranks,
making them delighted with his humility;
he humbled himself to praise them. A man like this
would be a good example for modern times;
if it was followed, it would show these young ones
that they have actually fallen backwards.
BERTRAM
His good remembrance, sir,
Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb;
So in approof lives not his epitaph
As in your royal speech.
The best memorial for him, Sir,
is your memories rather than what's written on his tomb;
your royal speech is the best confirmation
of his epitaph.
KING
Would I were with him! He would always say--
Methinks I hear him now; his plausive words
He scatter'd not in ears, but grafted them,
To grow there and to bear,--'Let me not live,'--
This his good melancholy oft began,
On the catastrophe and heel of pastime,
When it was out,--'Let me not live,' quoth he,
'After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff
Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses
All but new things disdain; whose judgments are
Mere fathers of their garments; whose constancies
Expire before their fashions.' This he wish'd;
I after him do after him wish too,
Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home,
I quickly were dissolved from my hive,
To give some labourers room.
I wish I was with him! He would always say-
it's almost as if I can hear him now; he didn't
throw about his sensible words but planted them
to grow and bear fruit–‘let me not live,’ -
that is how his sweet complaints often began,
when we got towards the end of some pastime or
when it was over-‘let me not live,’ he would say,
‘when my fire has no more fuel, to be a dampener
on younger spirits, whose senses
have contempt for everything but the new; their wisdom
is all spent thinking of their clothes; their loyalties
don't last as long as their fashions.’ This is what he wished;
and I wish the same as him,
since I cannot bring home wax or honey
I should be quickly thrown out of my hive
to give the workers some room.
Second Lord
You are loved, sir:
They that least lend it you shall lack you first.
You are loved, sir:
even those who don't show it would be first to miss you.
KING
I fill a place, I know't. How long is't, count,
Since the physician at your father's died?
He was much famed.
I'm taking up room, I know it. How long is it, count,
since your father's physician died?
He was very well-known.
BERTRAM
Some six months since, my lord.
Six months ago, my lord.
KING
If he were living, I would try him yet.
Lend me an arm; the rest have worn me out
With several applications; nature and sickness
Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, count;
My son's no dearer.
If he were alive I would give him a try.
Give me your arm; the others have worn me out
with their different medicines; nature and sickness
are fighting it out as they please. Welcome, Count;
you are as dear to me as my son.
BERTRAM
Thank your majesty.
Thank you, your Majesty.
Exeunt. Flourish
Enter COUNTESS, Steward, and Clown
COUNTESS
I will now hear; what say you of this gentlewoman?
I'll listen to you now; what have you to say about this gentlewoman?
Steward
Madam, the care I have had to even your content, I
wish might be found in the calendar of my past
endeavours; for then we wound our modesty and make
foul the clearness of our deservings, when of
ourselves we publish them.
Madam, the care I have taken over your happiness I
hope can be seen in the records of the things I have done
in the past; it is immodest, and makes us less deserving,
to boast of our good deeds ourselves.
COUNTESS
What does this knave here? Get you gone, sirrah:
the complaints I have heard of you I do not all
believe: 'tis my slowness that I do not; for I know
you lack not folly to commit them, and have ability
enough to make such knaveries yours.
What is this scoundrel doing here? Get out, sir:
I don't believe all the bad things I've heard
about you: it's stupid of me not to, for I know
that you are daft enough to do them, and have the ability
to get up to that sort of mischief.
Clown
'Tis not unknown to you, madam, I am a poor fellow.
You know, madam, that I am a poor fellow.
COUNTESS
Well, sir.
Well?
Clown
No, madam, 'tis not so well that I am poor, though
many of the rich are damned: but, if I may have
your ladyship's good will to go to the world, Isbel
the woman and I will do as we may.
No, madam, I don't think it's well that I am poor, although
many of the rich will go to hell: but, if I can have